Site: Worthdale Park | Raleigh, N.C.

Scores:
Salem 13, Shaw 6
Shaw 7, Salem 1

Records: Salem (4-22) / Shaw (6-17)

Next Game:
Salem at William Peace | WPU Softball Complex | Raleigh, N.C. | April 22 | 1:00 / 3:00 p.m.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Salem softball took advantage of a 13-run, nine-hit performance, in the opening game of the doubleheader series with Shaw to earn its fourth victory of the season in 13-6 fashion. The Spirits split the series, 7-1, after falling in the nightcap at Worthdale Park in Raleigh, N.C.

The Spirits managed at least nine hits in a game for the fourth time this season, receiving multi-hit performances from Shelby LaPoint (3-4, 3 RBI, run, double) and Katie Gerhardt (2-3, 3 runs). It resulted in LaPoint's second multi-hit game of the season, while teammate Madeline Brown connected on the first triple of the 2023 season for any Salem slugger. Katie Gerhardt earned the victory for the Spirits, tossing a complete-game 10-hitter, which resulted in five earned runs, while making three strikeouts.

The second game was highlighted by Salem's Kat Price, who fanned a single-game career-high five Bear hitters. At the plate, Salem was led by both Brown and Gerhardt, who finished with one hit apiece.

GAME 1: Salem 13, Shaw 6
W: Katie Gerhardt (2-7) / L: Syhia Marks
Salem Leaders: Shelby LaPoint (3-4, 3 RBI, run, double), Madeline Brown (1-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs, triple), Katie Gerhardt (2-3, 3 runs / 7 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 K's)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Salem had at least nine hits in a game for the fourth time this season.
-Spirits improve to 3-0 in 2023 when facing NCAA Division II programs.
-LaPoint enjoys her second multi-hit game of the slate, accruing the most single-game hits in the contest.
-Brown becomes the first Spirit in 2023 to reach base on a triple.
-Gerhardt has now delivered three hits in her last three games for Salem, putting together the first multi-hit outing of her career.
-Gerhardt, who fanned three Bear hitters, has now had four multi-K outings in 2023.
-Spirits score three runs in the first, including two on a double right by LaPoint that plated both Savanah Atkins and Kat Price. LaPoint crossed the plate herself after stealing third and scoring on a passed ball.
-Alli Stertzbach scored the fourth Salem run of the game on a passed ball in the second.
-Brown brought home Gerhardt on a ground out to first in the fourth frame.
-Salem had four runs score in both the sixth and seventh inning, including two from Maleah Tate, who scored on wild pitches.
-Kat Price drove a single through the right side, scoring Brown, while LaPoint plated Atkins on a single to left to highlight the sixth.
-Price reached first on an error in the seventh, resulting in runs by Stertzbach and Gerhardt.
-Atkins had an RBI grounder in the seventh that plated Brown for the 13th run of the contest.

SHAW HIGHLIGHTS
-The Bears came through with 10 hits, including three each from Regina DeDecker (3-4, 3 runs) and D'Amani Gadson (3-3, 2 RBI).
-Ayania Williams (2-4) also had a multi-hit outing for Shaw.
-The first five hitters in the Shaw lineup accounted for nine of the 10 hits.
-Marks took the loss despite allowing just seven runs (3 ER) on four hits, striking out four Salem batters in the game.
-The Bears scored one run in the first, third and sixth innings before plating three in the seventh. After scoring on a wild pitch and a passed ball in the seventh, Gadson connected on a double to left, scoring Nataya Truitt for the sixth and final run.

GAME 2: Shaw 7, Salem 1
W: D'Amani Gadson (3-8) / L: Kat Price (1-8)
Salem Leaders: Madeline Brown (1-3), Katie Gerhardt (1-2), Kat Price (6 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 5 K)

SALEM HIGHLIGHTS
-Salem improves to 5-1 all-time against NCAA Division II opponents (Shaw 3-1 / Livingstone 2-0)
-Price established her single-game career-high in K's with five.
-Brown delivers one hit for the Spirits, giving her a four-game hitting streak.
-Gerhardt comes through with a hit for Salem, giving her hits in three of the last four games.
-Cree Bass reached base on an error in the seventh, scoring the lone run for the Spirits on a passed ball with Maleah Tate at the plate.

SHAW HIGHLIGHTS
-The Bears come through with nine hits in the game, including six from the top-four hitters in the lineup.
-Nataya Truitt (2-4, RBI, 3 runs) and Gadson (2-2, 3 RBI, run) have multi-hit outings for Shaw.
-The Bears grabbed a 3-0 lead in the home half of the first due to back-to-back hits by Sas'Kia Stephens and Gadson, including a two-RBI double to left center by Gadson.
-Shaw scored at least one run each from the third through sixth innings.